Tippet, Sounds like this new rod is going to be your bread and butter rod. It is the one you are fishing with 80% of the time. I would make it the rod you'll spend some money on, because you will use it so much. Get what you really want. I'm like you I've got an 8wt I rarely use. Casting flagpoles around is too much like work, but I'm willing if big fish a are a possibility. Most of us don't have the luxury of fishing salt, or for salmon with any regularity. I like a 5wt because it can cover all the reasonable bases.